The NFL today released viewership figures for the first half of the 2012 season, and the league has never been as popular with television audiences.

Through nine weeks 172 million people have tuned into NFL action, and NFL games account for the top 14 television programs thus far this fall television season. Sunday Night Football is the number one show of the year thus far with Monday Night Football the number one program on cable.

Once again last week NFL action was the top rated program in 27 of the 29 NFL local markets: